Paper-binding clip.



L. E. BALTZLEY.

PAPER BiNDING CLIP, APPUCAHON mm JULY 2x 1910.

ilatcnted May 18, 1915.

LOUIS E. BALTZLEY, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

PAPERFBINDING CLIP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1915.

Application filed July 2, 1910. Serial No. 570,201.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Louis E. BALTZLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented new and usefu Improvements in PaperBinding Clips, of whichthe fol lowing is a specification. I I

This invention relates to paper binding clips for use in temporarily and securely fastening several sheets of loose paper and the like together and it comprises a substantially triangular, preferably sheetmetal, resilient clip of convenient. size having a back portion and two sides converging therefrom to a common line, together with operating handles secured to the sides to operate in connection with the back or the edges joining the back and the sides to spread the sides at the point where they converge against the tension of the metal of which the clips are made.

More specifically, my invention consists of the clips above described provided with jaws for the reception of handles of spring metal comprising two armshaving a tendency to spread laterally. Theme-ans for holding the handles operate in connection with such handles-to cause them to be cured yieldingly in an open position resting with portions of their length along the sides and extending past the back or yielding in a closed position adapted to bear against papers clamped between the two converging sides and in this latter position to thus assist in holding the papers flat. The handles are preferably made removable and of one piece of resilient metal, cooperating effectually with the jaws on the sides of the clip, whereby through minimum eli'ort the sides may r be .opened against the tension of the metal when such handles are in the open position above described and when they are operating as levers with the back or the edges between the back and the sides as fulcrunis.

The objects of my invention are the production of very inexpensive binding clip adapted to be readily applied or removed to bind loose papers together or to remove one ormore papers from a bundle temporarily bound, the production of a binding clip adapted to thoroughly and eilieicntly perform its functions, exerting crmsidcrable pressureupon the'loose leaves which it is together to spread the extremities of the" sides of the clip are separated a convenient distance to be readily gripped with the fingers when such handles are in open position. 7

In the accompanying drawings showing several forms of a specific embodiment of my in ention, Figure 1 is a front view of the clip, showing the jaws and illustrating the peculiar cam formation for yieldingly-hold- 'ing the handles in opened or closed position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, showing one spring lever in open position and the other in closed iosition Fi 3 is a iersnective view showat r i I, lng twochps clan'iped to a number Cu papers forming a book, the upper clip in such figureillust'ating the handles in the position in which they are used to open the clip and the lower clip in such figure showing the handies in the position in whichthey are to be used to assist the clip in holding the loose leaves llat. Fig. l is a modification of the invention, showing the handle having means for fastening the same to papers to make a pernmncnt binder; Fig. 5 illustrates a tool which may advantageously be used to operate the clips.

Referring to the drawings, A represents one side ot' thc binding clip and B the other side preferably integral with the back. and the whole formed of spring steel, here shown as triangular in cross-section when in closed position, with the back constituting the base.

The extremities of the sides are rolled into tubular form to provide jaws l and 2 which are provided with the cam surl'accs 3 and on the left and 5 and 3 on the right for cooperation with the opening handles or levers, as more fully hereinafter explained. Between these two sets of cam surfaces I may provide hooked portions 7 formed by cutting away a portion of the r lled ends in Fig. 1.

and spaced a suiiicient distance from the sides to permit the insertion of hooked ends of the pliers (l, as shown in Fig. 5.

The operating tool C is provided with hooked ends 8 adapted to pass into the opening 9 under the hooked portions 7 of the clip or, if h-sired, the hooked ends 8 of the pliers may be passed under the hooked portions 7 of the clip along the. line shown This may be done by slipping the hooked ends 8 in from the sides through the openings or spaces designated by the numeral 10. These openings or spaces 10 between the ends of the hooked portions .7 and the tubular jaws 1 and are of sullicien't size. to permit the journaled ends 11 of the handles or levers D, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, to be inserted in the jaws 1 and 2 through pinching the arms 01' the handles together, inserting them underthe hooked portions 7 and allowing'them to spread into the ja .vs 1 and The hooked portions 7 thus serve as guards to prevent the handles beingFremoved except when they are in open or rearward position. In operation, when the spring levers are. in the position last indicated, the back of. the clip or the cdgesbe tween the back and the sides A and B become the fulcrum for the levers to open the jaws of the clip.

In Order that the journals of: the handles may be yieldingly retained in the jaws l and 2, such handles are iu-e'lerably formed of spring wire, as above pointed-out, so that wh te. they spread apart or are under springstress they tend to hear firmly against the edges of the ]aws 1 and 2; or, as shown in Fig. 4, when they tend to converge they bear against the outer edges of the turned-over portifms. forming the jaws of the clip.

I ut lize the inherent spring action on the handles to cause them to spring automatically into either open or closed. position and to yieldingly remain in su h positions through cooperation with the cam surfaces 34 5---6, on which they ride when moved irom one position to another. he iun tions of the silrfaces 3 and l and of the surfaces 5 and 6 form apices l2. \Vhen the lovers pass these apiece, for instance, from the surfaces 4 and 6, they snap readily into open position because or' the resiliency oi the arms of the handles and they are then ready for use. When they pass from the surfaces 3 and 5 they snap to closed position, as shown in the lower. clip in l lig. 2".

It is advantageous to.-allow the handles to be acted upon in passing to the. closed position for a relatively longer period of time than when they are operated upon in passing to the. open position and therefore to accomplish this in-pose I make the cam surfaces 4 and (3 longer than the cam sur faces 3 and 5. This results in relatively more resistance to the handles when riding to closed position and they therefore spring with less force toward such position than they do toward open position. The handles thus in closed position are held flat against papers bound between the jaws 1 and 2' under action of the cam surfaces 4 and (5, and likewise when opened the handles or levers are held in such position under tension by the action of the cam surfaces 3 and 5 upon the lever arms. Of course, the exact arrangement of the arms and cam surfaces is not-t0 be construed as defining my invention exclusive of equivalents, for it is obvious' that the particular arrangement of cam surfaces shown in the exact construction of the handles may be materially modified and still remain within the spirit of my invention as claimed. The handles may be made as shown'in Fig. 4, wherein tangs a re provided for securing them to the outer leaves or sheets of paper, and they may be made as shown in this figure, where thecam. surfaces are upon the extremities of the jaws. In this instance the spring arms of the handles tend to bear toward one another.

To make a permanent binder of the clip, I employ staples, which are forced through the cover of the book over the lever and clenched on the opposite side, as shown at 12,13 and 14, Fig. 3. The same thing 'is aecianplishcd by the modification shown in Fig. 4, in which the folding lever is made of stamped sheet metal, and the binding points 15, 1G and 17, the equivalent of the staples, are made integral therewith.

The removable spring lever D is designed principally for use during the period in which a book or file is in the processof formation, when .it is often necessary to add leaves to or take. them from it. When completed and ready for filing. or permanent use, the spring levers can .be quickly re- It is important to provide an index or title card for each binder clip. I do th' by making a separate cardholder and clenc ring it to the. clip, as shown in thelower clip, Fig.v 31 But my preferable form is tostampup the card-holdingfingers from the meta-lief. the clip, as shown in the upper clip of Fig. By cutting the index cards slightly wider than the distance between adjacent fingers, sufficient retaining grip secured to hold the card firmly in position without furthc device.

\Vhi'ze this clip is designed primarily as a swinging movement to either of-two extreme positions, said handle retaining means cooperating with the inherent resiliency of thehandles to normally retain the handles in either of said extreme positions.

14. A binder clip comprising a section ct sheet metal having converging sides, each side provided with two spaced integral handle receiving means extending outwardly therefrom, the handle receiving means of each side spaced apart, and a resilient handle for each side having oppositely disposed ends tending to spread a greater distance apart than said spaced handle receiving means and 1onrrjaled in said spacedmeans 15 whereby said spaced handle receiving means confine said ends tinder. spring stress. and prevent free 'swmgipg movement of the handle.

In testimony whereof I have aiiixed my 20 signature, in presence of two subscribing 

